18 Hardcore Fingernail Innovations

Beautiful manicured nails have long been a sought-after beauty trend. Manicures go back some 5,000 years to India, where henna was (and still is) used to enhance the fingers, hands and feet. Around the same time, the Chinese started to use colored lacquer--the forerunner of today’s nail polish.

Nail polish and decorative nail art are still popular; the colors range from pale, natural-looking French manicures to reds, non-traditional blues and black varnishes. Innovative products to take nail fashions to the next level include light-sensitive nail varnish and devices to help paint or dry nails.